Simbavati Hilltop Lodge

It was 100% amazing. Bill went to culinary school and is in the food service business, and he asked to see the chef twice to say how delicious it was. The service, food, and accommodations were perfect. We used the spa service twice, enjoyed the game drives and the accommodations. The weather was warm and air conditioners could not keep up with the heat in the rooms, but that is beyond their control and did not bother us. We had a herd of elephants come through the lodge daily, with one so close to our room, we could have touched it if we dared. I honestly have nothing bad to say about Simbavati and would stay there again with no hesitations. Golden and Ngosi were great as our driver and tracker each day.

Simbavati Hilltop was gorgeous. The glamping lodges were incredible, service and food excellent. Really good viewing. Lions, elephants up very, very close in the camp, leopards, hyenas, lots of giraffes, baby rhino and lots of hippos. Good guide and tracker too, they were fun. Just incredible!

Our arrival at Simbavati Hilltop was met with an incredible welcome followed almost immediately by our FIRST safari. Everything about our time there was extraordinary: our Guide and Tracker, the entire staff, the setting, the cottages and views, the food, and most especially the individual and families of animals who grasped our hearts and memories forever.

This place was so nice, romantic and the food was awesome. Great chef. Our safaris were so much fun. Our guide Colbert was so awesome. I highly recommend to have people ask for him. The other group was telling us how they wish they had him because he had so much passion for his job.

My wife and I stayed three amazing, soul-filling nights at Simbavati. We recommend it without qualification. Our transfer from the airport was a good indication of what was ahead for our three-night stay. Our driver, Nicholas, perfectly balanced getting us to the lodge in time for lunch while giving us time to ogle and photograph the giraffe, warthog and zebra we saw on the way.

We were warmly greeted at the lodge by Itu, with her bright smile and uplifting personality. She showed us to our luxury tent built on an elevated deck which was thoughtfully built into the landscape. The deck overlooks a dry riverbed where we had daily wildlife sightings. There are only eight of these tents at the Hilltop which makes for an intimate experience.

Lezel and Derick, our guide and tracker, were fantastic and have an infectious love of the bush. They really cared about our experience and were extremely attentive to our needs. On every drive we saw at least one of the Big 5. Our group had a special interest in seeing a rhino, and the search for a rhino became an obsession for Lezel. The suspense and then the thrill of finding a momma rhino with her baby was amazing. There are so many other memorable moments from the drives that we will cherish for a long time to come.

Many thanks to Pierre for generously resolving an issue I had with renting a camera lens through a third party. Although the issue had nothing to do with the lodge, Pierre is the one who found a quick solution. He also knew the first name of all the guests and sincerely wanted each and every guest to have a magical experience.

And a final shout out to Aubrey, our butler, and the kitchen. The food was consistently delicious and Aubrey quickly learned our preferences.

A small intimate camp offering guests a luxury tented experience in the bush with breath taking panoramic views. The highlight is without a doubt the game viewing deck that overlooks the river.